15 Delicious Ice Cream Cocktails for Summer

Can't Miss Boozy Treats

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
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Updated on 07/13/21
Affogato Italian Espresso Dessert

The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

It's a hot summer day, and ice cream sounds oh-so-good. Transform that treat into a tantalizing ice cream cocktail and enjoy a creamier alternative to frozen margaritas and daiquiris.

Vodka goes well with ice cream, and you'll find recipes with rum, brandy, and a variety of flavorful liqueurs. Many of these alcoholic ice cream drinks are blended with fruits or chocolate, while others are spiked soda floats or sweet martinis. They're all fun to make and utterly delicious.

  • 01 of 15

    Bay Hill Hummer

    Bay Hill Hummer Cocktail
    xia yuan / Getty Images

    While you may know Arnold Palmer best for his iced tea and lemonade drink, the golfer's also famous for the Bay Hill hummer. A favorite blended drink at Palmer's Orlando golf course, the recipe mixes brandy and vodka with chocolate liqueur and vanilla ice cream.

  • 02 of 15

    Frozen Banana Split Cocktail

    Glass of banana milkshake with whipped cream and chocolate granules
    Westend61 / Getty Images

    Take everything that makes a banana split great and toss it in the blender for a delicious spiked milkshake. Featuring chocolate and strawberry vodkas, this frozen banana split cocktail recipe also uses a frozen banana, vanilla ice cream, milk, and pineapple juice. Go all out on the garnishes, too! Whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and a maraschino cherry are just a few ideas to get you started.

  • 03 of 15

    Frosted Lemonade

    frosted lemonade in glasses

     The Spruce / Leah Maroney

    Lemonade is refreshing, but frosted lemonade is guaranteed to keep you cool. While this lemon-kissed vanilla ice cream recipe is nonalcoholic, you can add a shot of light rum or vodka for a kick. Have fun with flavored versions of either liquor; strawberry vodka or coconut rum are excellent additions.

  • 04 of 15

    Boozy S'Mores Milkshake

    Boozy S'Mores Milkshake With Rumchata and Marshmallow Vodka
    TheCrimsonMonkey / Getty Images

    S'mores are a fun treat, and there's no need to build a campfire. The boozy s'mores milkshake is easy, creamy, and a fantastic indulgence for summer in your own backyard. The recipe combines four liquors—marshmallow vodka, chocolate liqueur, RumChata, and ​Drambuie—with ice cream and chocolate syrup. It's a wonderful mix that is anything but boring.

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  • 05 of 15

    Twist and Shout

    Hard Rock Cafe's Twist & Shout Cocktail

    Hard Rock Cafe

    What about a little Guinness with your ice cream? The Hard Rock Cafe's twist and shout recipe will show you that it's a brilliant idea. In this recipe, the stout is paired with spiced rum and chocolate liqueur and blended with chocolate and caramel syrups and ice cream. Add more syrup, whipped cream, and bacon to top off this devilish drink.

  • 06 of 15

    Spiked Root Beer Float

    Spiked Root Beer Float
    Jeff Shffer / Dawn Smith / StockFood Creative / Getty Images

    Vanilla vodka and Galliano team up in this spiked root beer float recipe. It's an amazing combination that pairs very well with root beer. The original recipe uses cream, but that can be replaced with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

  • 07 of 15

    The Inside Scoop

    Jagermeister's The Inside Scoop Root Beer Float Cocktail Recipe by Erin Sullivan

    Jägermeister

    Jägermeister fans will swoon over the inside scoop. Also a root beer float, the recipe begins with a spritz of Yellow Chartreuse, adds a shot of Jäger, then your favorite root beer. Top it with ice cream, root beer bitters, and orange oil, and you'll have a new appreciation for the liqueur's possibilities.

  • 08 of 15

    UV Liberty

    UV Liberty Cocktail With UV Blue Vodka

    The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

    Easy and quick, the UV liberty is made like a root beer float. It has a light, fruity profile, and the blue color comes from UV Blue Vodka. The vodka's raspberry flavor is enhanced with a scoop of raspberry sherbet, and lemon-lime soda completes the float experience.

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  • 09 of 15

    Love Potion #9

    Love Potion #9 Cocktail
    jonthnsloane / E+ / Getty Images

    Strawberries shine in the love potion #9 cocktail. The blended cocktail pairs the sweet fruit with chocolate for an indulgent drink that's best with strawberry or vanilla vodka. Add crème de cacao, ice cream, and ice and ​blend away. It's sweet, delicious, and sure to be a new favorite.

  • 10 of 15

    Kappa Colada

    Frozen Kappa Colada Cocktail
    Richard Jung / Photolibrary / Getty Images

    The kappa colada recipe is sweet, creamy, and both unique and familiar. It has the same great pineapple-coconut flavor as the frozen piña colada but opts for brandy instead of rum. Vanilla ice cream backs up the cream of coconut, and you can use fresh or canned pineapple.

  • 11 of 15

    Chi-Chi

    Chi-Chi Frozen Cocktail - Blue Vodka Cocktail
    Angela Wyant / The Image Bank / Getty Images

    With a taste that also mimics the piña colada, the chi-chi is both delicious and stunning. Rather than rum or brandy, this tropical cocktail uses vodka, though coconut vodka is even better. The color comes from blue curaçao, and the liquors are blended with coconut, pineapple, and ice cream to create a captivating treat.

  • 12 of 15

    Death by Chocolate

    Easy Death by Chocolate - Spiked Chocolate Milkshake
    Ivan Mateev / E+ / Getty Images

    As the name suggests, the death by chocolate cocktail does not skimp on the chocolate. Made with chocolate liqueur, ice cream, and syrup, you can even pour a shot of chocolate vodka if you like. Add some coffee liqueur for contrast, then blend it up, and deck it out with tempting toppings. 

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  • 13 of 15

    Chocolate Coffee Martini

    Chocotini

    Sandra O'Claire / Getty Images

    Coffee and ice cream are a fantastic match, and the two come together in an array of cocktails. A fun place to start is this chocolate coffee martini. It's a layered drink of Irish cream, chocolate liqueur, and vodka that's topped with strong coffee and chocolate ice cream.

  • 14 of 15

    Baileys Irish Ice

    Baileys Irish Ice with Guinness Gelato

    Tom Pfeiffer / VolcanoDiscovery / Photographer's Choice RF / Getty Images

    Baileys is the star of the Irish ice recipe. It pairs the popular Irish cream with iced coffee and Guinness gelato, finishing it with an espresso float. While that specific flavor of gelato can be difficult to find, you can make your own or switch to another flavor. This tasty iced coffee cocktail is worth the effort and an absolute joy after dinner.

  • 15 of 15

    Affogato

    Affogato Italian Espresso Dessert

    The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

    Affogato is an Italian favorite that brings dessert and coffee together in one frosty glass. It's made by pouring freshly brewed espresso over vanilla bean gelato or ice cream (don't worry, it doesn't melt). Enjoy it as is, or spike it with a nutty liqueur, dessert wine, or Italian amaro.